Improvement in apparatus for supplying beer-barrels



W. F. CLASS. 'l Apparatus lfor Supplying Beer-Barrels, 8vo.. with Air.

No. 212,898. f Patented Mar. 4,1879.

W/wessesf In l/eW/Z 7:

' N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D` C.

`the base to the top of the chamber.

UNITED STATES- PATEET GEEICE.`

l/VILLIAM F. CLASS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO `JAMES GAY, OF SAMEPLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING BEER-BARRELS, &c., WITH AIR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,898, dated March 4,1879 application filed February 3, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Bc it known that I, WILLIAM F. GLAss, of Cleveland, in the county ot'Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and ImprovedApparatus for Supplying Beer- Barrels, Sto., with Air; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and complete descriptionot' the same.

The nature of my improvement consists of a semi-spherical chamber madeof india-rubber or other suitable elastic materialmand connected at thebase with aframe or stand having an outlet and an inlet valve-opening.TVithin the chamber is a spiral springextending from By means of saidspring the chamber is expanded after being compressed. The saidvalve-opening admits the air, and the valve closes on compressing thechamber to force the air out through the eduction-openin g into thebarrel, keg. &c.

For a more full and complete description of said invention, referencewill be had to the following specification and to the annexed drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 is atransverse vertical section.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.

The elastic walls A of t-he chamber B may be either semi-spherical, asseen in Fig. 1, or other form suitable for the purpose. Connected withthe chamber wall or walls at the bottom is a iange, C, Fig. 2, whichrests upon the iloor or base D. This ange encircles the said walls. Uponthe top of the iange is an annular ring, E, through which and the iiangeO are passed screw-bolts. One ofthe bolts is seen at F, by means ofwhich the liange is firmly and tightly attached to the base D. This modeof attachment by means of the annular ring and bolts renders the chamberairtight, and admits of the parts being easily and readily separated foradmission to Jthe interior thereof for any desired purpose.

In the base or floor is an inletopening, G, provided with a valve, H.The outlet from the chamber is through the conduit I and pipenozzle J,as seen in Fig. 2. The lower end of A the nozzle passes through theannular ring and flange, and is in open relation with the conduit. Inthe interior of the chamber is placed a spiral spring', K, or itsequivalent, the lower end of which rests on, the fioor ot' t-he chamber,and is of sufficient dialneter to admit ot' the inlet-opening G andvalve H to be within the circumference of the spring. The upper end ofthe spring rests against the lower side of the foot-plate L; and to holdthe spring in place, and to keep it in proper position at all times whenin operation or at rest, the upper end is retained in the socket M ofthe head-plate N. The tension of the' spring prevents its slipping ormoving from the socket.

The foot and head plates are secured together by means of screw-bolts 0,otherwise, with top P of the elastic walls between, as seen in Fig. 2.The base may be raised from the ioor a short distance by means of theskirting It, or other proper means, to admit the air to freely passunder and through the inlet Gr into the chamber.

By placing the foot on the plate L, and fore ing down the elastic walls,the air is forced out from the chamber B through the conduit I andpipe-nozzle J into the barrel, keg, dto., by attaching to said nozzle apipe leading into the barrel, &c. On removing the pressure from thefoot-plate, the reaction oi' the spring, which has been compressed bythe pressure afore said on the plate, raises up the foot-plate and alsothe walls of the chamber to their original position, and by theadmission ot' air into the chamber through the inlet Gr raises the valvefrom H to H', Fig. 2, and expands the elastic walls of the chamber. Bythis means the chamber is filled with air, and in forcing it out intothe vessel, Cto., through the outlets set forth, the valve H closes theinlet G durY` ing such compression of the chamber in fore ing out theair. Thus alternately the valve H opens and closes in receiving the airinto and forcing it from the chamber.

The diicnlty attending the drawing of liqA nids from casks withoutproper ventor press ure is well known. To avoid this difficulty is theobject of the described apparatus, which is readily operated by the footwhile drawing beer, 85e., from the barrel.

I do not claim per se a chamber having elastic walls capable ofexpansion and contraction on receiving air and forcing it out; nor do Iclaim, broadly, a spring operating in connection with a chamber toexpand and contract it for receiving and discharging air for the purposeset forth. What is considered as an improvement in my apparatus forsupplying air to barrels is the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts as herein set forth and claimed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for supplying casks with air, the elastic wall orWalls of the chamber B, provided with a flange, and secured to the baseor oor D by an annular ring and screwbolts,'in combination With thespring B, footplate I), and head-plate P, provided with a recess tosecure the upper end of said spring, substantially as described, and forthe purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus -for charging casks, Sac., with air, an airchamberhaving elastic semispherical Wall or walls, with a ilange at its base.secured to the Hoor of the chamber by means of an annular ring andscrew-bolts, in combination with an inletlvalve and an outlet in thebase ot said chamber, and provided with va spring extending from theHoor to the top of said chamber, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for supplyingbarrels with air, the base D, providedwith an inlet-valve and opening and an outlet for the air, and havingattached thereto the semi-spherical elastic Walls of the air-chamber bymeans of a iiange extending from said Walls between the base and annularring, secured together by means of screw-bolts, substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose specified.

4. In an apparatus for supplying casks With air, an improvementconsisting of the curved elastic Walls of the air-chamber, With its topclamped between the foot and head plates, with the bottom of said Wallor Walls also clamped air-tight to the floor of the base, provided Withan inlet-opening and valve andan outlet, and having a spring Within saidchamber extending from the iioor to the top thereof, substantially asdescribed, and for the purposeset forth.

5. In an apparatus for forcing air into casks, the base provided withthe inlet-valve H and outlet-conduit I, in combination with the curvedelastic Walls secured to said base, and clamped between the foot-plate Land head-plate P, with the spring K, having its lower end resting uponthe ioor oi' the air-chamber and the upper end in the recess of theplate I), substantially in the manner as described.

-WILLIAM F. GLASS.

Witnesses:

F. C. KIDNEY, J. H. BURRIDGE.

